Primula plant named ‘Kerbelpice’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Primula  plant named ‘Kerbelpice’, characterized by its upright, compact and uniform plant habit; large, double, slightly fragrant and white-colored flowers that become light purple that are held upright on strong and erect peduncles; freely flowering habit; and tolerance to low temperatures.

Botanical designation: Primula acaulis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Kerbelpice’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Primula plant, botanically known as Primula acaulis, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Kerbelpice.

The new Primula is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program was to create new compact pot-type Primula cultivars with numerous double flowers with short peduncles and attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Primula originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom of two unnamed proprietary Primula acaulis seedling selections, not patented, in March, 2001. The new Primula was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom in February, 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by tissue culture since the summer of 2002 in Enniscorthy, Ireland, has shown that the unique features of this new Primula are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Kerbelpice have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, daylength, and fertility level without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Kerbelpice’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Kerbelpice’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright, compact and uniform plant habit.     -   2. Large, double, slightly fragrant and white-colored flowers         that become light purple with development that are held upright         on strong and erect peduncles.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Tolerant to low temperatures.

Plants of the new Primula differ from plants of the parent selections in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Primula are more compact than plants of the         parent selections.     -   2. Plants of the new Primula have double flowers whereas plants         of the parent selections have single flowers.     -   3. Plants of the Primula are sterile whereas plants of the         parent selections are fertile.

Plants of the new Primula can be compared to plants of the Primula acaulis cultivar Quaker's Bonnet, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom, plants of the new Primula differed from plants of the cultivar Quaker's Bonnet in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Primula had more compact foliage than         plants of the cultivar Quaker's Bonnet.     -   2. Plants of the new Primula had larger flowers than plants of         the cultivar Quaker's Bonnet.     -   3. Plants of the new Primula and the cultivar Quaker's Bonnet         differed in flower coloration.     -   4. Plants of the new Primula had strong upright peduncles         whereas plants of the cultivar Quaker's Bonnet had weak arching         peduncles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which more accurately describe the actual colors of the new Primula.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Kerbelpice’ grown in a 11-cm container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Kerbelpice’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom, in a glass-covered greenhouse and under commercial production practices during the spring. Plants were about four to five months old when the photographs and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 28° C. and night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 20° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Primula acaulis cultivar Kerbelpice. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary Primula acaulis             seedling selection, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary Primula acaulis             seedling selection, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About four weeks at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About five weeks at             20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Upright, compact and uniform plant habit;             inverted triangle. Moderately vigorous growth habit. Leaves             basal.         -   Plant height.—About 14 to 18 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 24 to 34 cm.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Basal, simple. Length:             About 9 to 15 cm. Width: About 3.5 to 7 cm. Shape: Elliptic.             Apex: Obtuse. Base: Acute. Margin: Slightly crenate;             undulate. Texture, upper surface: Somewhat rugose; glabrous.             Texture, lower surface: Prominent venation; pubescent.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper             surface: 143A to 143B. Developing leaves, lower surface:             146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: 139A to 137A.             Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: 146A. Venation, upper             surface: 144A to 144C. Venation, lower surface: 144D.             Petiole length: About 2 to 5 cm. Petiole diameter: About 6             to 15 mm. Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Petiole color, upper surface: 59C to 59D. Petiole             color, lower surface: 59D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single, rounded double flowers; flowers             face upright and outward. Freely flowering habit with about             16 to 30 flower buds and flowers per plant.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant; typical of species.         -   Natural flowering season.—Recurrent flowering during the             spring in the United Kingdom. Flowers persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.2 to 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 5             to 7 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 144B to 144C.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.8 to 3.5 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.1 to 1.3 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About 29 to 53 in several             concentric whorls. Length (including tube): About 8 to             12 mm. Width: About 7 to 14 mm. Shape: Obcordate. Apex:             Emarginate. Margin: Undulate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: Developing             petals, upper surface: 157B to 157D. Developing petals,             lower surface: 157D. Fully expanded petals, upper surface:             76A to 76C to close to 80C; towards the base, 157C to 157D.             Fully expanded petals, lower surface: 76B to 76C; towards             the base, 157D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused at the base. Length: About 1.2 to 1.6 cm.             Width: About 4 to 6 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute.             Margin: Undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper surface: 145C. Color, lower surface:             145B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6 to 6.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Orientation: Mostly erect. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: 59B to 59C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Development of reproductive organs has             not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Primula have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Primula. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Primula have been observed     to have tolerate temperatures from about −5° C. to 28° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Primula plant named ‘Kerbelpice’, as illustrated and described. 